


One Step Closer

by DraconisWinters



Series: Within the Shadows [11]
Category: LinkedUniverse - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: Bonding, Fluff and Humor, Gen, LinkedUniverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 03:43:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18513208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraconisWinters/pseuds/DraconisWinters
Summary: Warriors put his head into his hands. He regretted those words so much. It-It was in the heat of the moment, after seeing the darker version of himself and-and…Warriors sighed heavily. He should feel guilty. But he hated it. Warriors pulled at his scarf, loosening the fabric and pulling it farther away from his neck. Was it hot or just him? Looking around seeing the others shivering in the cool morning air, he knew. Just him.





	One Step Closer

Warriors looked over at Shadow and Wild, guilt building inside him once more as his own words echoed through his head.

“Four, what are you doing?” Warriors cried, blocking a blow from Conqueror.  
Red lip trembled and Blue snapped, “We’re protecting Shadow from them.”  
Warriors eyes widened and he exclaimed, “Who is more important to you; us, or someone you haven’t seen in ages?”  
Green opened his mouth to speak, but Warriors kept going as he threw Conqueror back, “He could be working for them and could betray you, and I won’t forgive that!”  
“He won’t betray us!” Red cried hugging Shadow, “He wouldn’t!”  
“He came with them,” Warriors insisted, “I say we just give them the mirror and be done with him.”  
“No!” Blue exclaimed angrily, “They’ll kill him!”   
“Better than them killing us!” Warriors attempted to reason.

Warriors put his head into his hands. He regretted those words so much. It-It was in the heat of the moment, after seeing the darker version of himself and-and…Warriors sighed heavily. He should feel guilty. But he hated it. Warriors pulled at his scarf, loosening the fabric and pulling it farther away from his neck. Was it hot or just him? Looking around seeing the others shivering in the cool morning air, he knew. Just him.  
As he looked over the others, his gaze found it’s way back over to Shadow and Wild. Wild was sitting in front of Shadow with a smile on his face. He would make a symbol with his hand that Shadow would attempt to copy. If he couldn’t figure it out Wild would patiently reach over and fix his fingers or hand and Shadow would nod in understanding, before making the symbol by himself. Warriors’ guilt increased at the small smile that was present on Shadow’s face when Wild would nod in approval.   
Damn it. Warriors can’t help but hate himself. He had seen the way the Darks had treated him, how his ‘leader’ was perfectly fine with stabbing his eye out. Warriors knew, had legend not shown up, Shadow would have been blind as well. So why did he say that? How could he have asked Four that? How could-?  
Warriors’ thoughts were interrupted as Time stood up and cleared his throat, calling for everyone’s attention. “I believe we need to have a discussion. All of us,” Time said looking around at everyone. The heroes nodded and scooted closer towards their leader, forming a small circle. Wild helped Shadow over to them.  
Warriors could see Shadow’s hands physically shaking as they got closer to the heroes. “You’re safe. I promise,” Wild told him softly, leading him over to a small space in between Green and Sky. After helping him sit down, Wild took a seat next to him which surprised Warriors. It wasn’t normal for Wild to not sit next to Twilight.   
“Thank you for joining us Shadow,” Time said with a smile. Shadow didn’t look up to meet his eyes.  
“Now,” Time began, “Wild recently informed me that yesterday he was ambushed by his Dark, Noble. Granted we already knew that they know where we are, but I think it would be in everyone’s best interest if we were to much somewhere else. Perhaps in traveling we may even enter into a different Hyrule and put more distance in between us and them. Any objections?”  
The heroes glanced around at each other before shrugging and shaking their heads no.  
“Okay,” Time nodded, “I say we start packing up camp and leave as soon as possible-,”  
“But what are we going to do with Shadow?” Green asked concerned, “he’s still injured and not up for travel and we’re not leaving him here.”  
Time shook his head, “Of course we aren’t leaving him here, but you are right we do need to figure out the safest way possible to move him.”  
Warriors looked over to said Dark and saw him open up his journal and frantically scribble, before showing the page. From the angle he was at, Warriors couldn’t see what was written, Sky’s reaction told him everything he needed to know.   
“No,” Sky protested, “You are not walking!”  
Warriors didn’t know what prompted him to offer, perhaps it was the guilt, maybe something else. Regardless of what inspired him, Warriors offered, “I can carry Shadow.” The Darks eyes looked at Warriors in complete shock, probably thinking back to what he had said in the battle.  
“That would work, if Shadow doesn’t have any problems with that,” Time agreed, before looking directly at Shadow who flinched. “Only if you are okay with it though,” Time said kindly, “there are other solutions, if you don’t want to do that.”  
Shadow looked back down with a shrug. Green placed his hand on Shadow’s shoulder, “You’re allowed to say no, we won’t be mad.” Shadow fidgeted with the charcoal clutched in his hand and Warriors could tell he was in the middle of an internal battle. “You-you know that...right?” Green continued. Shadow didn’t respond.   
Warriors honestly didn’t know what he wanted Shadow to choose. If he chose to let Warriors carry him, maybe that would mean forgiving Warriors, but even then, it could actually be out of fear of what would happen, despites Green’s reassurance, should he say no.   
After a long pause, Shadow finally nodded.   
Green asked, “Are you sure?”  
Shadow nodded again. Warriors sighed, looking at Shadow’s eyes, he had agreed out of fear.  
“Okay, now that there is a plan, everyone gather your things. I want to leave within the hour,” Time announced and everyone stood to begin grabbing their things.  
“Oh Time!” Sky called digging through his bag and pulling out a mask. The mask Time had used when battling the monster Legend had turned into. “This is yours.” Sky said handing it too the man.  
Time looked at Sky in surprise, before asking, “Um, did it ever, um, talk to you?”  
“Only a little the first day, but since then Kishin has been pretty quiet,” Sky shrugged. Time nodded, eyes still widened in shock as he took the mask from Sky who smiled happily.   
Placing the mask in his bag he casually asked, “Did anyone grab the other mask?”  
The heroes all exchanged worried glances before muttering out soft 'no's.   
"Well then where did the mask go?" Time asked looking around.   
Everyone turned to Legend who held his hands up, "I promise it wasn't me."  
“Well, if anyone sees it tell me, please,” Time sighed and everyone nodded. Warriors turned and out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn a shadow moved. Not wanting to alert anyone, he chose to say nothing. He was probably just paranoid.  
…  
Warriors would have never guessed Shadow was a light as he actually was. The teen hardly weighed anything at all. Like a feather or better yet, a shadow. They had left their camp site just under two hours ago, judging by the sun in the sky and Warriors was expecting to be exhausted, but this was easier than carrying his normal equipment. Well, the only difficult thing was the nerves radiating off of the teen on his back, but Warriors couldn’t blame him.  
Not to long ago the scenery had changed and judging by the bright smile now on Time’s face they were in his Hyrule. Looking around Warriors smiled, he recognized this place and knew where they were going. Time’s home! It would be wonderful to sleep indoors for free. Well, farm work was their payment, but Warriors would gladly do that for Malon rather than pay hundreds of rupees for some crappy inn room to said inn’s stingy owner.  
“Twilight,” Time said, “Could you run ahead and warn Malon guests are coming?”  
Twilight nodded and shifted into his wolf form.  
Shadow’s breathing stopped and Warriors could feel him shaking, as his hands gripped the man’s shirt tighter. He wondered what scared Shadow, but then he realized, it was Twilight. The wolf. The teeth marks.  
“Hey Time,” Warriors called, “Shadow and I are gonna take a small break. We’ll meet you at the ranch.”  
The four colored heroes were about to protest, as were some others, but Time nodded, “Yeah, that’s fine. You know the way.” Meeting Time’s gaze, Warriors knew he understood.  
Warriors stopped underneath the shade of a tree and gently set Shadow down on the ground. The teen’s hands intantly went up to his throat, trying to protect it from something that wasn’t going to happen. Warriors sat down in from of him saying softly, “Twi isn’t like that you know. He won’t hurt you.”  
Warriors sighed, “I-I’m sorry about what I said that day. I…I wasn’t thinking straight. I would never willing hand you over to them. I’d fight every single one of them to protect you, we all would. You know I even enjoy fighting Barbara,” Warriors threw in.   
To his delight, Shadow cracked a small smile.   
“He looks like a Barbara right?” Warriors laughed and Shadow shook his head. The teen held up his hand, which was still shaking, and began forming letters.  
B  
A  
R  
B  
I  
E  
Warriors repeated verbally, “Barbie?” Shadow smirked and nodded. Warriors laughed loudly, “Oh! That’s even better!” Shadow blushed but his smile didn’t fade.   
Warriors smiled back. He may not be forgiven, but at least this was a step in the right direction.   
…  
Conqueror scowled as he watched Warriors pick Shadow back up and continue on after the others.   
Barbie…disgusting, Conqueror wanted to kill both of them just for that. But now was simply not the time.  
Although, Conqueror followed and watched as they were greeted by the other heroes at the ranch, he was sure Eternal would love to know the groups new location.


End file.
